The Half Blood Prince Marauder style
by Oriel Subtle
Summary: Lily, James, Sirius and Lupin read Harry Potter and the Half Blood prince, but can knowing the future help them to change it? Lots of jokey fun with all your favourite Marauder era characters. Please Read and Review! 3
1. Introduction

Okay, so let me fill you in on the story of this one. I know this idea has been done many times before but I really wanted to have a go at it! At first I wanted to do it for the Order of the Phoenix, which is my favourite, but due to excessive reading I'm missing a few pages! So I'm doing the Half Blood Prince because I don't know if that's been done before, I hope it hasn't and I'm sorry to anyone if I'm stealing their idea! Lily and the Marauders have already read all the books up to this one at the point when I'm writing the story.

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

'Look what I found!' came a high falsetto voice from the direction of the portrait hole. James sat up from his position, lying across Lily's lap, looking up at his best friend.

'A girl that wants to go out with you?' he called to Sirius while Lily sighed and closed her book.

'A haircut that doesn't look like Hagrid attacked you with a pair of shears?' piped in Remus as he too lay down his book.

'Do I detect a hint of bitterness boys? I guess it must be hard for you, being friends with someone as devilishly handsome and gifted with the ladies as me. Constantly overshadowed…'

James and Lupin both cut in with cried of indignation, mingled with Lily's protests as Sirius sat on her.

'Save the compliments for later guys, I've got something a little more important,' said Sirius as he was shoved off Lily's lap, only to be replaced a second later by James. Lily sighed in exasperation.

'To be honest, I'm glad you're here mate,' said James, 'It's nice to have a friend who's not obsessed with books.'

Sirius froze for a second, then produced a book from behind his back, grinning.

A look of horror blossomed on James' face: 'No! Don't tell me Sirius! Don't tell me… you learned to read?'

Remus and Lily laughed as Sirius pouted.

'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince' he read from the cover and the laughter cut out with a collective gasp.

'You found it,' said Lily in a whisper, 'The next one in the series'

'You went to the Library?' screeched James, but Lily silenced him with a glare.

'Maybe this one will be a happy one?' said Sirius hopefully.

Remus looked solemn. As did James and Lily.

'C'mon guys! How much hardship can one boy have in his lifetime!'

'Quite a lot so far,' said Remus quietly, and James and Lily chuckled slightly.

Sirius pulled a face: 'Remy's just worried that he'll die in this one! I mean we're dropping like flies!'

The little group started to laugh as the tension left the air.

'Anyway, us reading them can change the future. We will survive!' she cried in rallying voice and the laughter continued. 'Give,' she added to Sirius holding out her hand for the book. She curled up like a cat on James' lap and opened it.

'Let's see what trouble our son gets into this year.'


	2. The Other Minister part 1

Ohhh my goodness! I have not updated this in a very long time. I promise the updates will now be more often and I will actually write this! Thank you for the lovely reviews though I don't deserve them! Also, if anyone has a typed version of the Half Blood Prince or knows anyone who does, I would be insanely grateful if you could send it to me! Thanks Oriel

I most definitely don't own the bold bits.

'**The Other Minister' **Lily began.

'Ohh Merlin!' groaned Sirius, 'Don't tell me Fudge has got a cousin! He's bad enough on his own!' He trailed off under Lily's glare, but James nodded fervently in agreement. He was not happy about the way Fudge had treated Harry the previous year. Lily cleared her throat and continued.

**It was nearing midnight**

'Spooky,' whispered Sirius grinning, 'Sorry! I'm just excited!' he continued catching the look on Lily's face.

'Well do you think you possibly contain your excitement, otherwise we won't need to read the book, because we'll have taken so long, that the events are playing out before our eyes.' She snapped.

'We wouldn't have to read?' Sirius said hopefully. Remus slapped his hand to his forehead while James laughed.

**And the Prime Minister was sitting alone in his office, reading a long memo that was slipping through his brain without leaving the slightest trace of meaning behind. **

Lily sighed in exasperation and turned to James and Sirius, both of whom had tentatively raised their hands.

'Yes?'

' Okay, what on earth is a prime minister?' James asked.

'It's like the minister for magic, but for muggles,' she explained, then turned to Sirius. 'You took muggle studies for your newts!' she said accusingly.

'Oh I wasn't going to ask that,' he smiled angelically, 'I was just wondering when it was going to get interesting.'

'We've read ONE SENTENCE!' Lily snarled, 'Maybe the interesting bit will come in a minute!'

**He was waiting for a call from the president of a far distant country, and between wondering when the wretched man would telephone, and trying to suppress unpleasant memories of what had been a very long, tiring and difficult week, there was not much space in his head for anything else. **

'Excitement every minute this,' Sirius muttered.

**The more he attempted to focus on the print on the page before him, the more clearly the Prime Minister could see the gloating face of one of his political opponents.**

Remus yawned widely.

**This particular opponent had appeared on the news that very day, not only to enumerate all the terrible things that had happened in the last week (as though anyone needed reminding) but also to explain why each and every one of them was the governments fault. **

'But what has this got to do with Harry?' James asked loudly.

**The Prime Minister's pulse quickened at the very thought of these accusations, for they were neither fair nor true. How on earth was his government supposed to have stopped that bridge collapsing? It was outrageous for anyone one to suggest that they were not spending enough on bridges.**

Even Lily was frowning by this time. What in Merlin's name could a muggle bridge have to do with her son?

**The bridge was at least ten years old, and the best experts were at a loss to explain why it had snapped cleanly in two, sending a dozen cars into the watery depths of the river below.**

Remus sat up quickly. 'Snapped clean in two?' He said frowning. Lily narrowed her eyes. Something odd was going on here.

'Can we move on from the bridge?' James said agitatedly. Lily looked back to the page, an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

**And how dared anyone suggest that it was lack of policemen that resulted in those very nasty and well publicised murders? **

Lily breathed in sharply, sharing a look with Remus. Sirius started tapping out a rhythm on the arm of the sofa.

**Or that the government should have somehow foreseen the freak hurricane in the West Country that had caused so much damage to both people and property?**

'Blimey, they are having a bad week!' James murmured into Lily's hair.

**And was it **_**his **_**fault that one of his Junior Ministers, Herbert Chorley, had chosen this week to act so peculiarly that he was now going to be spending a lot more time with his family?**

'Herbert,' Sirius snickered.

'It's not funny!' said Lily, her voice slightly shriller than normal, 'Something strange is going on.' James rubbed her back soothingly.

'**A grim mood has gripped the country,' the opponent had concluded, barely concealing his own broad grin. **

**And unfortunately, this was perfectly true. The Prime Minister felt it himself; people really did seem more miserable than usual. **

'This is cheery'

'SIRIUS!'

**Even the weather was dismal; all this chilly mist in the middle of July… it wasn't right, it wasn't normal…**

Lily looked at Remus: 'Is it just me or does all that 'unhappiness, chilly mist' stuff sound like…'

'Dementors.' He said nodding.

'What?' cried Sirius, coming out of his stupor.

'I told you it would get exciting!' Lily laughed.

**He turned over the second page of the memo, saw how much longer it went on, and gave it up as a bad job. **

'Aaand we're back to boring,' sighed Sirius leaning back and closing his eyes.

**Stretching his arms above his head he looked around his office mournfully.**

Sirius sighed dramatically and Lily shut the book with a snap.

'Are you just going to do this all the time?' she asked irritably.

'Only until it gets exciting again,' he grinned.

'I swear, you have the attention span of a confused Niffler,' she grumbled to herself, making Remus and James chuckle, 'Haven't you got anything better to do than sit here and moan?'

'Ahhh Lily-Flower,' he smiled, 'I want to hear about the adventures of my favourite godson,'

'Your only Godson,' Remus interjected. Sirius scowled.

'Anyway, the girlfriend's gone to her parents for Christmas, so no chance of me getting lucky either,' he said cheekily, ducking the cushion that Lily sent sailing his way.

'Go find another one then!' she growled, 'It's never stopped you before!'

'Lily my dear, the one I love is unfortunately,' he paused dramatically, 'already taken.' He looked towards her with mournful eyes. Then lifted his arms and seemed to walk towards her in a daze. Lily backed away slightly, all too wary of the glint in Sirius' eyes.

He finally made it to where she sat on James' lap, took a deep breath…and shoved her off onto the floor.

'HEY!' she yelled, looking up to where Sirius was snuggled with James. Who was giggling and batting his eyelashes. She stood up, eyes blazing, and saw fear on Sirius' face. She grinned, raising an eyebrow.

'You think I'm just going to let you have my boyfriend?' she growled teasingly. Sirius looked her straight in the eye and licked the side of James' face from jaw to temple.

James squirmed in disgust, using his t- shirt to wipe off the spit.

'No Sirius!' he squealed in a high voice, giggling and flapping his hands. He suddenly turned serious: 'I'm not a slut! I'm just not ready for this!' and with that, he covered his face in his hands and began to fake- sob in earnest.

'Look what you did!' cooed Lily, 'Poor Jamesie.' Sirius stroked James' hair soothingly.

'Why is it that boys always think they can get whatever they want?' squealed James, 'All I want is for somebody to tell me I'm beautiful,' he sobbed even harder than before. Lily shoved Sirius off James' lap and sat down on it herself. James immediately sat up grinning.

'All better,' he said brightly. Lily laughed.

'It's really quite scary how convincing you are as a girl,' she giggled.

'Years of practice,' piped up Remus, making them all fall about laughing.

'Oh and Sirius,' Lily added, picking up the book again, 'Don't try and steal my boyfriend. I can take you any time.'

Sirius' expression turned to one of mournfulness again, which suddenly turned to ecstasy as he looked over Lily's shoulder. Lily whipped her head around to see James making the 'Call me' sign at Sirius. She frowned and her boyfriend looked up at her angelically. She rolled her eyes.

**It was a handsome room, with a fine marble fireplace facing the long sash windows, firmly closed against the unseasonable chill. With a slight shiver, the Prime Minister got up and walked over to the windows, looking out at the thin mist that was pressing itself against the glass. **

Lily shivered slightly and James pulled his arms around her. She had only seen a dementor once before, and wasn't keen to come across one again.

**It was then, as he stood with his back to the room, that he heard a soft cough behind him. **

Lily stiffened.

**He froze, nose-to-nose with his own scared-looking reflection in the dark glass. He knew that cough. **

'Herbert?' said Sirius hopefully. James burst out laughing, followed only moments later by Lily and Remus.

Sirius looked affronted.

**He turned, very slowly, to face the empty room. **

Sirius squeaked loudly.

'Exciting enough for you?' Lily asked grinning, to the amusement of James and Remus.

'**Hello?' he said, trying to sound braver than he felt. **

'Oh for the love of Merlin, hurry up Lily! Before Sirius wets himself,' said James exasperatedly, gesturing towards Sirius, who was curled up in his chair, hiding his face behind his knees.

**For a brief moment he allowed himself the impossible hope that nobody would answer him. However, a voice responded at once…**

The air was split by a piercing scream and it was a moment before Lily realised that it was coming from Sirius. She rolled her eyes as James patted his friend's shoulder soothingly.

'Deep breaths Padfoot, deep breaths'

**a crisp, decisive voice that sounded as if it were reading a prepared statement. It was coming- as the Prime Minister had known at the first cough- from the froglike little man wearing a long silver wig who was depicted in a small and dirty oil-painting in the far corner of the room. **

'Magic!' James yelled jubilantly, 'Bout time too! Sorry Lils, but the muggle stuff was getting really boring.' Lily didn't hear him, she was practically bouncing up and down on his lap.

'It must be how the wizarding world communicates with the muggle world! Oh this is fascinating. I've always wondered what it would be like!' Sirius groaned.

'Politics?' he asked Remus who nodded and grinned. Sirius grunted and lay back in his chair, muttering about 'anticlimaxes' and 'Herbert'.

'Lils,' squeaked James in a pained voice, 'You're … crushing me slightly.' Lily ceased her bouncing immediately, turning red when she realised what James was talking about. James sighed in relief.

'A few more bounces and baby Harry may never have been able to be created,' he groaned. Remus and Sirius laughed, while Lily's face burned fiercely.

'**To the Prime Minister of Muggles. Urgent we meet. Kindly respond immediately. Sincerely, Fudge.'**

'Oh, not that idiot,' James said angrily. 'How can he still be Minister for Magic after all the stuff that happened last year?'

**The man in the painting looked enquiringly at the Prime Minister.**

'**Er,' said the Prime Minister, 'listen… it's not a very good time for me… I'm waiting for a telephone call, you see… from the president of'**

'**That can be rearranged,' said the portrait at once. The Prime Minister's heart sank. He'd been afraid of that.**

'Old Primey doesn't like him either James!' cut in Sirius. 'Wonder why he hasn't got the hots for Fudge.'

'**But I was really hoping to speak..' **

'**We shall arrange for the president to forget to call. He will telephone tomorrow night instead,' said the little man. 'Kindly respond immediately to Mr Fudge.'**

'**I… oh… very well,' said the Prime Minister weakly. 'Yes, I'll see Fudge.' **

'Awwhh,' said Lily smiling, 'Nice try Prime Minister.'

James looked at her in consternation.

'What?' she said, 'He's cute!'

**He hurried back to his desk, straightening his tie as he went. He had barely resumed his seat, and arranged his face into what he hoped was a relaxed and unfazed expression,**

'AWWWWHH!'

'Lily!'

**when bright green flames burst to life in the empty grate beneath his marble mantelpiece. **

'That's the..' Sirius said excitedly

'Floo network,' cut-in James, 'Yes Sirius we know.'

Sirius pouted.

**He watched, trying not to betray a flicker of surprise or alarm,**

'Awwhh!'

'So help me Lils, I will take that book off you!' cried James.

'Jealous?' she winked.

**as a portly man appeared within the flames, spinning as fast as a top. Seconds later, he had climbed out on to a rather fine antique rug, brushing ash from the sleeves of his long pinstriped cloak, a lime-green bowler hat in his hand.**

'What a douche.'

'James!'

'Got to say I agree with him on this one Lily,' Remus said, staring daggers at the book in her hand.

'**Ah… Prime Minister,' said Cornelius Fudge, striding forwards with his hand outstretched. 'Good to see you again.'**

**The Prime Minister could not honestly return this compliment, so said nothing at all.**

Sirius barked out a laugh.

'Rejected,' he said drawing out the vowels.

**He was not remotely pleased to see Fudge,**

Lily snickered quietly. James looked at her in astonishment.

'What?' she said, 'I don't like him either!'

**whose occasional appearances, apart from being downright alarming in themselves, generally meant that he was about to hear some very bad news.**

'Oh dear,' said Remus quietly. Sirius giggled at him.

**Furthermore, Fudge was looking distinctly careworn. He was thinner, balder and greyer, and is face had a crumpled look. The Prime Minister had seen this look in politicians before and it never boded well.**

'I should think so too!' Lily said loudly, to everyone's surprise.

'Lily-flower?' said Sirius curiously.

'Well there's got to be a bit of a backlog at the ministry after the whole "Voldemort isn't here, Oh wait there he is!"' James and Sirius laughed.

'And there was… a… murder there…of course' she said awkwardly. A heavy silence descended on the group and they all turned to Sirius, who seemed to be having an aneurism. Lily jumped forward but James pulled her back.

'Relax Lils,' he whispered, 'He's just thinking.' There was another long pause.

'Ohhhhhh!' yelled Sirius at last, 'You're talking about me! Oh don't worry Lily-flower! Now we're all dead, we can have a party on the other side! I've been planning it for weeks! Sorry Moony, you're not invited.' Remus shook his head grinning as the others laughed. Lily couldn't imagine Sirius dead. Apart from the fact that it hurt too much, Sirius was just too alive to die.

'**How can I help you?' he said, shaking Fudge's hand very briefly and gesturing towards the hardest of the chairs in front of the desk.**

'Show him who's boss Primey!'

**Difficult to know where to begin,' muttered Fudge, pulling up the chair, sitting down and placing his green bowler hat upon his knees.**

'Who wears a green bowler hat,' scoffed James.

'**What a week, what a week…'**

'Looks like we're going to find out the causes of all those weird things Lily,' grinned Remus.

'What weird things?' piped up Sirius. Everyone groaned.

'**Had a bad one too have you?' asked the Prime Minister stiffly, hoping to convey by this that he had quite enough on his plate already without any extra helpings from Fudge.**

'Boom!' cried Sirius and Lily giggled in spite of herself.

'**Yes, of course,' said Fudge, rubbing his eyes wearily and looking morosely at the Prime Minister. 'I've been having the same week you have Prime Minister. The Brockdale bridge… the Bones and Vance murders… not to mention that ruckus in the West Country…'**

'It's got to be Voldemort,' Lily breathed. James' arms gripped her tighter.

'Why does he always spoil everyone's fun?' cried Sirius in exasperation and the little group laughed.

'**You-er – your – I mean to say, some of your people were- involved in those- those things were they?'**

'Duh.'

**Fudge fixed the Prime Minister with a rather stern look. **

'**Of course they were,' he said. 'Surely you've realised what's going on?**

This was greeted by general uproar:

'Awwhh poor Prime Minister, Fudge is such a nasty!'

'Give it to him Primey!'

'Of course he doesn't he's a muggle!'

'What a douche.'

'James!'

'**I…' hesitated the Prime Minister.**

**It was precisely this kind of behaviour that made him dislike Fudge's visits so much. He was, after all, the Prime Minister, and did not appreciate being made to feel like an ignorant schoolboy.**

'I dislike Fudge intensely right now,' said Remus.

'Wow Moony! Calm down there!' said James laughing. Remus gave him the finger.

'Remus!'

**But of course, it had been like this from his very first meeting with Fudge on his very first evening of being Prime Minister. He remembered it as though it were yesterday and knew it would haunt him until his dying day. **

'That sound like it's flashback time!' sang Sirius, getting up and skipping around the sofas and armchairs.

'Really Pads?' said James, 'You have a flashback dance?' Lily and Remus laughed as Sirius sat down again, scowling.

'You didn't used to be this sarcastic before Lily- flower.' He said grumpily. Lily glared at him.

'But her general air of awesome makes up for it of course!' he sang, skipping over to Lily and kissing her full on the mouth.

'For Merlin's sake Sirius!' she said when he released her, wiping her mouth on James' t-shirt. James' looked faux-threateningly at Sirius.

'You tryin' to steal my girlfriend?' he said in a deep, gravelly voice, getting up and squaring up to him.

Sirius squealed and ran away screaming: 'Chase me Prongs! Chase me!' Lily turned to Remus and they shared a tired look. James landed on the sofa in Lily's lap and she sighed, squeezing out and sitting at the other end of the sofa. James put his head in her lap. She leant down and kissed him softly.

'My eyes!' Sirius squealed, 'They burn!'

**He had been standing alone in this very office, savouring the triumph that was his after so many years of dreaming and scheming, when he had heard a cough behind him, just like tonight, and turned to find that ugly little portrait talking to him, announcing that the Minister for Magic was about to arrive and introduce himself. **

'That must have been a bit of a shock,' laughed Remus. Lily remembered when Albus Dumbledore had come to her house and told her that she was a witch. Her mother had beaten him out the door with a newspaper the first time, convinced he was trying to sell her double glazing. The second time, Petunia had been at home alone. When Dumbledore had asked for Lily, she had slammed the door in his face and rushed to call the police. But, third time lucky as they always said. She grinned.

**Naturally, he had thought that the long campaign and the strain of the election had caused him to go mad. He had been utterly terrified to find a portrait talking to him, though this had been nothing to how he had felt when a self- proclaimed wizard had bounced out of the fireplace and shaken his hand.**

'Ahhh muggles,' smiled Sirius fondly.

**He had remained speechless throughout Fudge's entire explanation that there were witches and wizards still living in secret all over the world,**

'That's us!' said James proudly. Lily rolled her eyes.

**and his reassurances that he was not to bother his head about them as the Ministry for Magic took responsibility for the whole wizarding community and prevented the non- magical population from getting wind of them. **

'Unfortunately,' said James bitterly, 'dad doesn't trust the ministry any more. He says if it wasn't for Alastor Moody, he would leave the auror office all together. He doesn't trust Rudolphus Lestrange and he's Moody's second in command! I want to tell him Lestrange is a death eater, but what can I say? We found a book about the future and it says he is?' James shook his head angrily and Lily smoothed his hair back from his forehead gently.

**It was, said Fudge, a difficult job that encompassed everything from regulations on responsible use of broomsticks-**

Both James and Sirius hissed at this.

'I don't understand why we can just cast a disillusionment charm on ourselves and go flying in the holidays!' said James irritably, 'It's not like the muggles are looking for flying broomsticks!' Lily quickly started reading again before a full blown conversation about Quidditch could start.

**to keeping the dragon population under control (the Prime Minister had to clutch the desk for support at this point). **

They all grinned around at each other at this, remembering both Norbert and the Triwizard tournament.

'My godson has already had many run-ins with dragons,' said Sirius proudly, 'I reckon he's a true Marauder.'

'Have all the Marauders had run-ins with dragons then?' asked Lily interestedly. Sirius' face fell.

'Well, no.' his face brightened, 'I will have a run in with a dragon before I die!' he yelled happily.

**Fudge had then patted the shoulder of the Prime Minister in a fatherly sort of way. **

'**Not to worry,' he had said, 'it's odds on you'll never see me again. I'll only bother you if there's something really serious going on our end, something that's likely to affect the Muggle- the non-magical population, I should say. Otherwise it's live and let live. And I must say, you're taking it a lot better than your predecessor.**

'I wonder what he did!' cried James gleefully, 'Hopefully it hurt.'

_**He **_**tried to throw me out of the window, thought I was a hoax planned by the opposition.' **

They all fell about laughing at the idea of someone trying to push Fudge out of a window.

'Cornelius Fudge,' said Remus, wiping his eyes, 'who'd have ever thought that Cornelius Fudge, the Hufflepuff who got only five OWLs would become Minister for Magic.'

'Awwhh don't be mean,' said Lily, still hiccupping.

**At this the Prime Minister found his voice at last **(hic).

'**You're- you're **_**not**_** a hoax then?'**

**It had been his last desperate hope.**

'Awwwhh'

'Lily if you say that one more time…'

'**No,' said Fudge gently. 'No I'm afraid I'm not. Look.' **

**And he turned the Prime Minister's teacup into a Gerbil. **

'**But,' said the Prime Minister breathlessly, watching his teacup chewing on the corner of his next speech, 'but why- why has nobody told me-?' **

'**The Minister for magic only reveals him or herself to the Muggle Prime Minister of the day,' said Fudge, poking his wand back inside his jacket. 'We find it's the best way to maintain secrecy.' **

'**But then,' bleated the Prime Minister, 'why hasn't a former Prime Minister warned me-?' **

**At this, Fudge actually laughed.**

'Nice,' muttered James**.**

'**My dear Prime Minister, are **_**you**_** ever going to tell anybody?'**

'I wouldn't,' Sirius advised him, 'People will think you've been on the firewhisky.'

'Sirius,' sighed Lily, 'Muggles don't have firewhisky.' Sirius' expression turned pitying.

'Poor muggles,' he said sadly.

**Still chortling, Fudge had thrown some powder into the fireplace, stepped into the emerald flames and vanished with a whooshing sound. **

'I hate travelling by floo powder,' grimaced James, 'My glasses always get broken.'

**The Prime Minister had stood there, quite motionless and realised that never, as long as he lived, dare mention this encounter to a living soul, for who in the wide world would believe him?**

'I would,' whispered Lily.

'I'm sure he's delighted with the vote of confidence Lils,' chuckled James. She stuck her tongue out at him.

**The shock took a little time to wear off. **

'Not surprised!' said Remus.

**For a time he had tried to convince himself that Fudge had indeed been a hallucination brought on by lack of sleep during his gruelling election campaign. In a vain attempt to rid himself of all reminders of this uncomfortable encounter, he had given the gerbil to his delighted niece and instructed his Private Secretary to take down the portrait of the ugly little man who had announced Fudge's arrival.**

'Well that won't work,' said Lily, amused. James sat up.

'What d'you mean?' he asked. Remus rolled his eyes.

'Obviously it's got some kind of charm on it to keep it on the wall. I'd say a permanent sticking charm. Otherwise don't you think the other Prime Ministers would have moved it years ago?' A look of apprehension dawned on James' face and Lily laughed.

'I was never any good at charms,' he said sulkily. Lily laughed again. 'Just like Lils was never any good at transfiguration,' he said winking cheekily at her. 'Owww!'

**To the Prime Minister's dismay, however, the portrait had proved impossible to remove. **

Lily nodded knowledgably.

**When several carpenters, a builder or two, an art historian and the Chancellor of the Exchequer had all tried unsuccessfully to prise it from the wall, the Prime Minister abandoned the attempt and simply resolved to hope that the thing remained motionless and silent for the rest of his term in office.**

'Me too mate,' murmured James, 'Poor Pads almost had a heart attack last time it did anything.' Sirius glared reproachfully at the book.

**Occasionally he could have sworn he saw out of the corner of his eye the occupant of the painting yawning, or else scratching his nose; even, once or twice, simply walking out of his frame and leaving nothing but a stretch of muddy-brown canvas behind. However, he had trained himself not to look at the picture very much, and always to tell himself firmly that his eyes were playing tricks on him when anything like this happened.**

'Muggles,' laughed James, 'they'll do anything to convince themselves that magic doesn't exist.' Lily squeezed his hand fondly.

**Then, three years ago, on a night very like tonight, the Prime Minister had been alone in his office **

Sirius grinned.

**when the portrait had once again announced the imminent arrival of Fudge, sopping wet and in a state of considerable panic.**

'Ooooh what's he been up to!' Sirius asked the book happily, 'It's getting exciting!'

**Before the Prime Minister could ask why he was dripping all over the Axminster, Fudge had started ranting about a person the Prime Minister had never heard o, a man named 'Serious Black'**

'Woohooo!' yelled Sirius jumping up on a chair. 'First mention of the book! I thank you,' he said bowing, as James applauded, laughing. 'I wonder what kind of trouble I'm causing,' he grinned, 'How did I get Fudge so wet?' James raised an eyebrow, and they both roared with laughter. Lily rolled her eyes.

**Something that sounded like Hogwarts and a boy called Harry potter, none of which made the remotest sense to the Prime Minister. **

'My baby,' smiled Lily and James rolled his eyes, but hauled himself up to kiss her anyway.

'Our baby,' he said gently, ignoring Sirius who was miming being violently sick into Remus' hat.

'…**I've just come from Azkaban,' Fudge had panted, tipping a large amount of water out of the rim of his bowler hat into his pocket. **

Everyone but Sirius grimaced at the mention of the wizarding prison.

'I've still got no idea how you're going to get out of there Padfoot,' said Remus, shuddering.

'Good looks and boyish charm,' said Sirius, flashing a roguish wink in Lily's direction.

'I doubt those are going to work on the Dementors mate,' grinned James, 'They are blind you know.'

'You mean…' said Sirius in horror, 'I can't use my hair? I'm doomed!'

'**Middle of the North Sea, you know, nasty flight… the Dementors are in uproar..' he shuddered '- they've never had a breakout before..'**

'Not until they met… Sirius Black!' cried Sirius flexing his muscles. 'I hope I was the one who pushed old Fudgey in the sea.'

**Anyway, I had to come to you, Prime Minister. Black's a know muggle killer and may be planning to rejoin You-Know-Who…**

'Or not!' said James chirpily, while Lily scowled.

'It wasn't me,' Sirius whispered conspiratorially to the book, 'It was Wormtail.' Lily saw James' jaw clench angrily. He still hadn't got over the revelation that it was Peter who had betrayed them. She rubbed his shoulders soothingly.

To be continued…

**My computer is a FAIL and has run out of space! I will post the rest of the chapter as soon as I can. Review please!**

**Oriel x**


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